1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to magnetic recording tape and in particular to an apparatus and method for winding magnetic recording tape with a leader on a single reel tape cartridge.
2. Background Art
One type of magnetic media tape on single reel tape cartridges is typically threaded into and unthreaded from a tape drive with a leader block. Occasionally, these systems experience breakage within the first meter of tape, particularly with thin, high capacity magnetic tapes. The cause for breakage is the repeated tape thread/unthread cycling on the tape drive. The tape becomes progressively damaged with increasing thread cycles as the tape passes over guiding components in the tape path of the drive. In particular, the edges of the tape are forced into and out of tape guiding channels that can be mispositioned slightly relative to the path that the threading mechanism takes during operation. The mispositioning causes deformation of the tape edges as the tape is forced to accommodate the offset location of the guiding elements.
Another problem encountered in the tape drive occurs at the interface between the drive hub and the leader block on the leading end of the tape. Ideally, the outer edge of a leader block should be substantially flush with the outer diameter of the reel hub. However, in the prior art, there is a misalignment range of approximately +/-100 microns. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a small but significant embossment 101, 103, respectively, is formed in subsequent layers of the thin magnetic tape 105 wrapped around the hub 107. Embossment 101, 103 form on top of the edges of the leader block 109 and on top of the throat edges of hub 107, respectively. These discontinuities can result in recording errors in the tape where data is recorded. An improved tape loading/unloading system is needed.